Cyprus Stamps online

I am a collector of Cyprus stamps (Pre-Republic and Republic of Cyprus).

In addition, I buy and sell Cyprus First Day Covers and Postal History Items along with Turkish Cypriot stamps and covers from the Occupied areas of Northern Cyprus.

For more information and to see my available stock, please feel free to visit my website: www.CyprusStamps.comAll stamp purchases are completed using PayPal secure payment system - we never see your payment details.

Saturday, February 26, 2011

We have 2 new Cyprus stamp issues due for release on Wednesday 23 March.

Details are as follows:

Cyprus - Aromatic Flowers - The Rose

This is a very exciting issue as the stamps will be "smelly" - aromatic stamps come to Cyprus!

The rose is the well-known fragrant flower of a small shrub with serrated leaves that is cultivated almost all over the world.
The rose bush and its bloom, the rose, were known from ancient times and have been cultivated as a decorative plant or to extract rose oil for the preparation of fragrances.

In Christian times the rose was used as a symbol of Virgin Mary and in general as a symbol of purity. In medieval times the rose was used as an emblem of various leading houses and as a decorative element on buildings. Rosewater is produced from the bloom of a specific type of rose bush with many petals, very fragrant, red or pink. The rose, because of its large variety of colours and scents, is one of the best-loved flowers and is used by man in all corners of the Earth to mark various events in their lives.

Embroidery is a symmetrical and harmonic, geometric or free pattern or representation made by hand on fabric using a needle or crocheting needle and thread or woven on a loom.
From ancient times, embroidery was considered woman's work and was developed as a result of mankind's need for nicer clothing and beautiful objects for daily use.

The oldest embroidery known is from 15th century BC Egypt, a beautiful piece with colourful, symmetrical stitching.

The art of embroidery was particularly developed in the Renaissance period, especially in Venice, Genoa and Milan.

In the Hellenic world there is a rich tradition of embroidery from the Homeric period. In Greece and in Cyprus, many women from the countryside are involved in embroidery, either on a professional basis on to meet the needs of their own homes, making embroidery one of the most significant contributions to our local art.

Lefkara lace (lefkaritika) is renowned not only in Cyprus but abroad; the lace is characterised by the richness and variety of the patterns and it has very recently been included on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

Leonardo da Vinci was a great admirer of Lefkara lace and, when he visited Lefkara village, he took a lefkaritiko cloth and donated it to the Duomo di Milano cathedral and it still adorns the main altar to date. The famous needle lace "fervoulite", from Karavas, is well known, as are "pipiles" and "krosiedes", the most common type of embroidery in many villages in Cyprus. The "fithkiotika" and "lefkonitziatika" multi-coloured laces are also well known, created when the cloth is woven on the loom.

Unfortunately with industrial development this local handicraft, that makes our lives so beautiful, is dying out.

Saturday, February 12, 2011

We're closing all our Cyprus stamp listings on Specialist Auction site and moving everything to our main Cyprus Stamps website.

We have approximately 14 items that will expire today 12th February and after that, you will be able to find pretty much all our stock available on our website with the exception of a few eBay listings.

For more stamps and covers from Turkish occupied Cyprus since 1974 (North Cyprus) and for pre and post Republic of Cyprus (South), please visit my website and online shop: http://www.cyprusstamps.co.uk/shoponline/